Through the Window
by inu-hottie
Summary: Richie knows he shouldn’t. But when Hotstreak gives him that contemplating look across the battlefield, the one that says he knows exactly what he’ll do if he wins, makes Richie’s knees go weak. My first HotGear. Not great, but please be kind.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: If I owned Static Shock, it would definitely not be child appropriate…

This is my first HotGear ever. It's not my best work, but I'm fairly happy with how it turned out. Written during first period instead of focusing on my Economics test.

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Richie knows he shouldn't. The redhead meta-human is dangerous, and his best friend's tormentor.

But when Hotstreak gives him that contemplating look across the battlefield, the one that says he knows exactly what he'll do if he wins, makes Richie's knees go weak. He can imagine the things that Hotstreak would do, how his own body would burn with passion, with heat.

NO!

Richie cannot feel that way! Hotstreak is a criminal, a bad guy. Richie can't feel anything but contempt for the fiery teen.

It hurts, to look but never touch, to not even be allowed to admire. He wants the redhead so badly, even with the knowledge that Hotstreak would probably beat him to the ground if he knew that Richie is Static's best friend. He wants Hotstreak's arms, his attitude, his rage and passion. Richie wants him so bad, he could cry.

He doesn't understand when the fear turned to interest and the interest turned into obsession, but he can't go a day anymore without thinking about the fiery male.

Virgil can see it as well, the feelings that his best friend has for Hotstreak, and often wishes that the powerful emotions were for anyone else. Hotstreak is dangerous, Virgil knows it, and Richie knows it. It hurts him to know that by protecting the city, he is hurting his best friend in the process. If Richie loved someone else, Virgil wouldn't feel torn about his actions.

That night, Virgil calls Richie on the shock box and tells him that there has been a jail break at the Bang Baby detention center. Several dangerous meta-humans, including Hotstreak, are loose in the city. Richie is at The Abandoned Gas Station of Solitude, working on a way to make the zap caps more powerful when he gets the call. Though Virgil warns Richie to stay where he is, Richie decides that he has to go home or have his father scream at him until his ears bleed.

And even though he will not admit it, even to himself, Richie hopes that he will see Hotstreak before the redhead is recaptured.

Sadly, he makes it home without so much as a sign of incident. His mother worries as Richie goes up to his room without saying a word. He comes home later and later each night, with excuses that are half attempts at best. She does not know what to do other that hope that he is alright.

Richie goes to his room and lies on the bed, without bothering to turn on the lights. He is tired and it is already late, so he settles for pulling off his sneakers and lying down.

After a few minutes of tossing and turning restlessly, Richie pulls off his hoodie. His room is hotter than normal, uncomfortably so, and Richie wonders how he is going to be able to sleep without his blanket as he tosses it to the floor. Normally his room is perfectly comfortable, so why is it…

Richie flicks on his bedside lamp and sees Hotstreak standing next to his _open_ window…in his bedroom. He doesn't know if he should scream for help or for the powerful meta-human to take him. Instead of reacting loudly, Richie chooses to be silent. If his parents hear anything that they would consider suspicious, well, it takes less than a minute for them to rush up the stairs. Richie doesn't want that. He wants as much time with the pyro as he can get.

It then occurs to him that he is supposed to hate the redhead who has broken into his bedroom. Attempting to play the part, Richie speaks to Hotstreak with an annoyed voice.

"What do you want Hotstreak?"

"What do you think Foley?"

Richie's heart begins to race. Could this be the moment that he has been waiting for?

"I want to know what your connection with Static is. You two seem to be best buds, so spill or I'll light you on fire."

Disappointment makes itself known. Richie figures he should have guessed that his crush is only interested in how to get to Static. What could Hotstreak want with someone like Richie other than information? No one loves the nerd, not even other nerds.

"I don't have anything to tell you, so get out of my room."

Growling angrily, Hotstreak flares up and steps menacingly towards Richie's bed and the blond wonders if he will be ashes before his parents reach his room. If Hotstreak lights him on fire, Richie knows that he will scream, and scream loudly. Trembling, Richie crawls backward on his bed, silently pleading to God that his crush won't barbeque him.

"Answers Foley, or I'm gonna turn up the heat in here."

"I don't know anything! Static doesn't tell me anything important, I'm like a groupie!"

The lie seems to placate the red haired young man. His flames die, but he continues to approach Richie's bed.

"It seems like wherever he is, there you are. How can you always manage to show up if you don't have inside information?"

Richie's mouth goes dry and he tries to swallow as he looks up at the muscular meta-human who is now leaning over the blond teen's body.

"I…uh…just follow the crowd. Wherever they run away from, I go to."

"Why?"

"I like to watch."

Hotstreak raises his eyebrows and Richie realizes the innuendo in what he has said.

"I meant I like watching the fights!"

"Sure."

Richie's cheeks are dark red now, and he is breathing heavily. Hotstreak has placed his hand on the bed and is leaning directly over Richie now. As Hotstreak leans forward, Richie leans backward, until his back is against the mattress. His palms have started to sweat and he can hear the blood pump into him ears. Hotstreak is smirking, like he knows something that Richie doesn't know, and is planning to use it.

"What are you doing Hotstreak?"

"Well, if you really aren't close to Static…I guess I don't have any real use for you."

Hotstreak stands back up and walks to the window. Richie is still in shock when he hears his red haired crush open the window and sees the teen swing one leg out.

"See you around Foley."

And he is gone.

Richie runs to his window and sees Hotstreak walking down the street with his hands in his pockets. As Richie begins to shut his window, Hotstreak looks back and gives him a dangerous smirk.

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	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Static Shock, if I did, well it probably wouldn't be finished and all the guys would be flaming gay.

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"Hotstreak broke into your house?!"

Richie smiles as he speaks to Virgil over the Shock box. He knows that Virgil is worried for him, but Hotstreak hadn't roasted him alive and he's fine so there is no cause for worry. Though in honesty, Richie wouldn't have minded heating things up a bit with the fiery Bang Baby…not that he would ever share that tidbit of information with Virgil. That is something that his friend really didn't need to know.

"I'm fine Static, but he's looking for information on you. Maybe we shouldn't hang together until he's done trying to get you through me."

As Richie said this into the shock box, he noticed Hotstreak leaning against a building and staring at Richie with a look of intense concentration. There was only one thought in his mind.

'Oh fuck.'

Richie quickly turned off the shock box and shoved it into his pocket, hoping Hotstreak didn't notice it, or realize that he'd been using it to talk to Static.

"Hey there Richie."

"Hey there Hotstreak…are you stalking me?"

"Yes."

Two seconds are spent on contemplation of Hotstreak's actions, before Richie puts two and two together to and realizes that the redhead is probably following him to get to Static.

"You're not going to get to Static through me."

"Good thing that's not my plan anymore."

Hotstreak comes forward and grabs the front of Richie's shirt. In fear for his life, Richie begins hitting Hotstreak's chest. He is terrified that the redhead is going to light him on fire like he threatened the night before. As much as Hotstreak's flames fascinated him, and Richie didn't mind being a _flaming_ nerd, Richie had very little desire to be a _flambéed _nerd.

"Now there's no need to be so mean."

"Let go of me!"

Hotstreak pulls Richie close and presses their lips together in a searing kiss. In confusion, Richie stops beating on the stronger male's chest and whimpers in shock. 'If this is a dream,' Richie thinks to himself, 'Please don't let me ever wake up.'

"Are you done freaking out yet?"

"No…what brought this on?"

"Seeing you on that bed. I didn't know you were so built under that dorky hoodie of yours."

It is almost a compliment, but half a compliment is more than Richie has ever gotten from Hotstreak, even before he was Hotstreak. Besides, Richie knows that his hoodie is dorky. It's comfortable though and that is what matters to him.

And if Hotstreak can't tell that Richie is getting stronger, then none of the other Bang Babies will either. After being kidnapped, threatened, injured, and just plain abused by his best friend's enemies, Richie took up spending time at the local gym in hopes of becoming strong enough to defend himself. Though if he can't even make Hotstreak flinch, the workouts are probably not doing much.

"So you do this to every dork with a nice chest whose house you've broken into, or am I just special?"

'Smooth Richie,' he thinks as Hotstreak grins, 'Real smooth. Let's just hope I live to see tomorrow.'

"Considering you're the only nerd whose house I've broken into, I'd have to say that you're just special. So what do you say?"

Knowing that at any moment, one wrong word or movement can end his short teenage existence, Richie carefully chooses his words.

"What do I say to what?"

The amused grin on Hotstreak's face grows wider.


End file.
